Pastor Matt Sonnenberg on Partnership & Pastoring

Village Church,

It is my joy to be a pastor at the Village Church. Every time I step foot into church on Sunday morning, I am blessed. I love seeing people who have a true and deep love for one another, working together to glorify the Lord. I love seeing the amazing family that God has assembled.

We are a diverse group of people with different strengths, abilities and skills that God has assembled together to serve and love each other and our community. We are the body of Christ, each having a role to play in His mission (Romans 12:5). We are a family, brothers and sisters in Christ that love one another (Ephesians 5:1-2) and bear each other’s burdens.

Increasingly, I see people at the Village Church from different ethnicities, generations, cultures and economic backgrounds. It doesn’t surprise me, the pastors of the Village Church have been praying that our church would reflect the look of our community for a while now. Over the years (and I have been here at VCI for a very long time), the Village Church has changed and grown in many ways, but it is probably the most diverse group of people we’ve ever had… and diversity is good. Very good.

Without diversity we run the risk of being short sighted and narrow focused. My natural inclination when confronted with something different than “the norm” is to stand at a arms distance, not getting too close, stay in my comfortable bubble. But that’s not who Christ calls to us be (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are called to walk arm-in-arm with believers whomever they be or where they come from… they are our true family. Diversity is good because it keeps us on our toes, continually challenging us to love better and in varying ways.

Isn’t it amazing that through our diversity we can be in unity? We work together, serve together, live in community together all with the same goals… expanding His kingdom and glorifying His name. At the village Church we see this being lived out in so many ways, from community groups to park days to friends feeding the homeless to Sunday morning setup and much more.

Finally, the diversity I see at the Village Church reminds me of what it will be like when Christ returns (Revelation 7:9). A diverse multitude of people worshipping and glorifying Christ. What a day that will be! I love being a pastor and a partner with you at the Village Church and seeing how the Lord works through each of one of us.

Partnered With You,

Matt Sonnenberg